Temporary Solutions to Give New Life To An Old Paint Job

Even if you would love to change the color of your walls, repainting isn't always possible. Perhaps you're renting and you aren't allowed or maybe you're saving up for a new paint job down the road but want to spiff things up in the meantime. Whatever the reason, here are a few ways to make an old paint job look better for the time being.

Clean the walls. Sometimes walls that look like they could use a new coat of paint could really benefit most from a good cleaning. This should be done anyway before repainting, so if that's your long-term plan, you're already taking one step toward it!

To clean walls, use the gentlest cleanser possible. This typically means warm water and a soft sponge. Vacuum the walls first with a brush attachment. Then test an area of the wall by gently wiping in a circular motion with a well-wrung-out sponge. Allow to dry. If the paint appears water fast, continue across the entire wall. Be sure to replenish with clean, warm water so you aren't wiping dingy water on the walls.

Fill holes. The guest room in my house has yet to be painted. Time constraints just haven't allowed for it yet. But one thing I did in the room that greatly improved it is fill holes left by artwork the last tenant had hanging in the room. The holes stood out on the light-colored walls, and simply filling them with a little spackle went a long way in freshening up the walls.

Hang art. Filling holes from old artwork is one solution, and making a few new holes to hang new artwork is another! Hanging art will personalize your space, and if you're strategic about it it can even cover flaws in old paint jobs. Think big, too, with fabric wall hangings or even interesting woven rugs.

How have you helped improve the look of an old paint job without actually repainting? Any tips to share?